Review of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) by Oxana — 23 Aug 2014

First thing I noticed about this movie was the wonderful cast: Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Jude Law... it didn't really matter what the movie itself was about, but the idea seemed interesting as well.

I didn't dare hope too much of the movie itself, and that was why I was positively surprised. While the plot was very mysterious and strange in many ways, it had plenty of good qualities in it.

Tom Waits was brilliant as Devil; clever and devious, smoking and dressed up... I don't have words to describe him properly. Just pure brilliance. He was the only character who really made complete sense to me.

I don't think it was fully explained what the Imaginarium was all about, but I think it qualified as both heaven and hell, depending on one's decisions. It was a bizarre world of insane possibilities, but following some sort of guideline every time.

Tony, who was played by Heath Ledger, but who never wore his own face while in the Imaginarium, was a bit of a shady character. Depp, Law and Farrell brought him to life inside the Imaginarium, each with a new side to show.

The end of the movie was a bit too bizarre for me. I didn't get it. Maybe I will, eventually, because it was all about a gamble, losing and winning, trying to win back what you lost, facing your past and trying to decide what kind of future you would have... And then, it didn't make much sense in a way.

But nonetheless, this movie was full of intrigue, and I think I'll be watching it again one day, because there were many good moments in between the strangeness.